An Unexpected Romance
by Miss Bridget Sharpe
Summary: Redo of story with similar title. Gilligan accidently plays cupid. Takes place during Quick Before It Sinks. Pinger is the paring.


_**A/N I had written this story previously with the same title however I decided I was not happy with it.  
I reworked it and now it is to my liking. I added somethings in the story that were not in the show. It was made up entirely by me. (Lots of things in fan fic world are made up so nothing stopped me from making this up). I hope you enjoy this. FYI we are probably going to disagree about the measuring stick in Quick Before It Sinks. I get it. But this is what I think. I know what some others believe. That's fine. My story. My way. Okay. Now read.  
**_

Gilligan frowned wanting to know how he always had to do the dirty work. The island was sinking and he was the one who was elected to tell Ginger the news. Why couldn't the Professor do it? He was the one who discovered the problem. Why should he Gilligan have to break the news? The Professor is the one who stated he saw Ginger go into her hut.  
_Gee wonder how he knew that?_ Gilligan sulked to himself. The sailor may not be as bright as the Professor but he was fully aware of the academic's affection for the Hollywood starlet.

He could see it with his own eyes. It was right there. No way anyone could miss it.  
Roy Hinkley was a close to Ginger Grant as could be. How this occurred was a mystery but for some reason the academic somehow someway was drawn to the redheaded movie star. Seeking her assistance in experiments or when he needed a nurse for some procedure or another. He was the most comfortable with her. Not so much Mary Ann. Not to say that he could not converse with the farm girl. He could do that just fine. But it was never anything deep or serious as Mary Ann lacked the ability to draw him out like Ginger did.  
Ginger had a way of getting the scholar to open up to her. No one knew how she did it but she did.

Gilligan knew about the deep conversation they had when they had believed their island was being targeted for annihilation. Ginger had went on about how she should have done something more with her life. She should have been a nurse. It was more meaningful then her profession of acting. The Professor admitted he could have been doing more with his life as well. However their discussion was cut short when something occurred to the academic.  
However later after the threat was gone, Gilligan recalled Ginger sobbing. She had been terrified of dying. It was not a movie. This was real.

The Professor had wrapped her up in his arms to console her. He then told her that he did not agree with what she had stated before. Her profession was in fact meaningful. She brought joy to people's lives with her acting. People liked to escape reality every now and then. They liked to be a part of a different world if only for a little while. She brought that to them. Why she portrayed characters that people could relate to. Could identify with. That meant something.  
A person could be going through something difficult in their life and if they saw this other person overcoming their obstacle, surely they could to. Ginger had calmed down and thanked the Professor for his kind words.

So again why did he Gilligan have to do this? Tell Ginger the island was sinking.  
Taking a deep breath the first mate approached the hut and bravely knocked on the door and Ginger indicated for him to come in. He saw her standing in a odd pose. She explained she was doing an acting exercise in which she was being a tree.

"What brings you here?" The actress asked of the sailor.

"Oh well you see the Professor…" He began.

"The Professor what?" Ginger inquired. "What about the Professor?"

Gilligan was nervous about spilling the news. He didn't want to have to tell her about the sinking island.

"Gilligan." Ginger pressed. "What about the Professor?"

"Oh uh he well" The sailor could not get the words out. No he wasn't going to tell her this.  
He would tell her something else but what? What could he say he needed to see her about? Then something came to him "Well…you see the Professor…he's he's in love with you." Gilligan said not believing those words just came out.  
It was all he could think to say.

Ginger put her arms down and her eyes went wide. "He….He loves me?"

"Uh yes…He sure does." Gilligan with a smile relieved that she was buying it.

"I can't….The Professor loves me!" Ginger squealed. "He really loves me!"

"Sure does!" Gilligan exclaimed cheerfully.

The redhead rushed out of her. She ran into through the jungle coming upon the Professor and Skipper.

"Is it true? What Gilligan said….is it true?" She asked.

The Professor sighed. "Yes Ginger. It is." He replied not aware of what Gilligan really told the actress.

"Oh!" Ginger cried putting her arms around him. "I knew it! I knew it!"

The Skipper's eyes practically popped out of his head and the Professor was stunned.  
"You knew?" The Skipper said in disbelief. How on Earth did Ginger know about the sinking island?

"Well I suspected." Ginger explained pulling back a bit and looking up at the Professor. "But I had a feeling it was true." She gently placed a kiss on his lips.

The Professor had no idea why Ginger just kissed him. Why would she kiss him about this?  
It was nice kiss though. She could do it again if she wished. _Stop that._ He chastised himself.

Skipper too was taken aback at how well Ginger was taking the news.

The actress wrapped her arms back around the Professor. "I knew you loved me."

Both men looked at each other in shock. The Skipper spoke. "Um what did you say Ginger?"

"I knew the Professor loved me." She smiled holding the science man tightly.

The Professor was at a loss for words. Knew he loved her? How did she know he loved her?  
Who blabbed?

Mary Ann and Mrs. Howell saw the scene and came over. "What is going on?" The two women wanted to know.

Ginger smiled at them. "The Professor loves me." She answered. "Gilligan told me."

_Gilligan!_ thought the Skipper. _Figures! That explains it all_.

_I should have known. _The Professor thought to himself as he did nothing to dissuade Ginger from holding him tight.

"Oh that's wonderful Ginger!" exclaimed Mary Ann.

"How marvelous!" Mrs. Howell declared. "I can't wait to plan the wedding!"

The Professor gulped. Wedding? What wedding? There was going to be a wedding?

"Come on dear." Mrs. Howell said to Ginger. "I have so many ideas…"

"I'll see you later darling." Ginger said as she kissed the Professor before heading off with the other two women.

It was then the culprit of all this arrived.

"Hello Gilligan." The Skipper greeted. "I heard you told Ginger some interesting news."

"Oh yeah." Gilligan laughed nervously. "I told her that the Professor loved her."

"Yes I know." The Skipper said trying to remain calm. "May I ask why you told her that?"

"Well I…I couldn't tell her about the island….I…I just told her the first thing that came to my mind."

"The first thing that came to your mind was that I love her?" The Professor said incredulously. "How could you tell her such a thing?" _I was trying so hard to hide it._ He added to himself.

"I'm sorry Professor but she seemed so happy I couldn't take it back."

This caught Roy's attention_. She seemed happy?_

"A fine mess you made Gilligan." The Skipper frowned. "Now Ginger is planning her wedding. And it will crush her to know that there won't be a wedding once you tell her the truth."

"Oh no!" Gilligan said. "I'm not telling her that! No way!"

"You have to Gilligan. You are the one who started this mess. You have to set it straight with Ginger." The Skipper said firmly.

"But she'll hate me." The first mate argued. "I don't want her to hate me."

The Professor sighed. "It's alright Gilligan. I'll talk to Ginger. You, Skipper and Mr. Howell take care of the hut we started to build."

The two nodded and went off in search of Mr. Howell to seek his aid in construction of the hut.

The academic walked over to the Howells' hut where the women went.  
He stood outside not sure of how to break the news to Ginger. She believed he loved her and that they were getting married. The last thing he wanted was to see that look of hurt on her lovely face. But the sooner he got this over with the better. He was not ready to marry her or announce his feelings to her. Besides it would not work. It couldn't work. She was way too beautiful and glamorous for him. She wanted a man like Cary Grant. He was hardly even like General Grant.

The Professor was about to knock when he heard Ginger's voice.

"Isn't the Professor wonderful? I knew he loved me. When we first ended up shipwrecked I knew he was attracted to me. His hands would shake whenever I was around. He would get all nervous and flustered." She giggled. "I still remember when he wanted to sniff my perfume. I had no idea what came over him. I thought for sure he was going to kiss me. But then he left. I was so disappointed."

Roy Hinkley remembered that like it was yesterday. Not a day went by that he did not think of how she felt being so close to him. The wonderful scent of her perfume. How close he came to actually kissing her beautiful neck. It was very tempting. His lips were very close to her skin and all he had to do was move in a little closer. Somehow he found the strength to restrain himself.

"I know my darling Professor would do anything for me" Ginger had continued. "He's the only man who would. I remember how scared I was when we were first shipwrecked here."

The Professor too recalled that. His mind when to when he found the actress sitting on the beach. Tears were in her eyes.

_"Ginger." He said. "You alright?"_

_"No I'm not." She replied. "I'm scared. I'm so scared."_

_The academic sat on the beach next to her. "It will be okay."_

_"__No one knows we are here. The ship is wrecked. The transmitter is broken. I can't….I can't….I don't know how to…" Her sobs came on heavy. Tears spilling out of her eyes. "We don't have any food and hardly any clothes…I don't know anyone here."_

_His arm somehow went around her. "Ginger listen to me….I know it's going to be hard but we will make it through. There is plenty of food around for us. Lobsters and crabs and fish. There are berries and other fruits. We will be okay."_

_Ginger turned her head towards him, the fright still showing in her eyes. "Professor, I need you. I'm frightened. I need someone to help me. I don't want to do this by myself. I always had a man taking care of me. I never took care of myself."  
_

_She had buried her head in his chest and both his arms were around her._

_"Ginger that's not true." He said trying to soothe her. "You are from Hollywood. You are tough. I heard you talk about some of those overly aggressive directors and producers. You handled yourself then and you can handle yourself now. You are not helpless."  
_

_"I feel helpless." She sobbed.  
_

_"You are stronger than you give yourself credit for. However I promise you that I will be there for you. I will not allow you to deal with this on your own."  
_

_Ginger managed a small smile. "You are wonderful Professor." She had stated. "I'd marry you in a minute."  
_

_He was slightly embarrassed by this remark but said nothing of it. He had helped her up and walked her back to camp._

This scene kept playing in his mind. Why was he fighting this? Ginger loved him. She wanted to marry him. What harm would it do if he did marry her? The movie star would be so happy. He could just see her floating around the island with a smile on her face. How could he deprive her of such happiness? Such joy? Ginger stated time and time again how much she wished to be married. He heard her tell Mary Ann about the type of wedding she had planned and the gown she would wear. Now she believed it was going to happen. Knowing what he had to do_, _The Professor knocked on the door and Mrs. Howell asked who it was.  
"It's me the Professor."

Ginger smiled and got up from her seat running over to the door and opened it.  
"Hello darling." She greeted kissing him.

He returned her kiss. No. He was not going to take this away from her. Not a chance.

"How is the wedding planning going?" He asked putting his arms around her.

Ginger giggled. "Darling we aren't actually planning a wedding. Mrs. Howell is just telling me some ideas she had in case we do decide…" She rested her head against him.

Now was his chance. He knew he was going to make Ginger the happiest woman on the island. "Well." He began. "What if we did decide?" The Professor asked caressing Ginger's back.

She looked up with wide eyes. "What?"

"Ginger would you….consider….marrying me?"

The starlet froze in place. She stared at the Professor trying to process it all.  
A smile then went across her face. The one that the academic had wanted to see. "Oh darling!" The actress exclaimed. "I would! I will! I will marry you!"

Mary Ann and Mrs. Howell shrieked with joy. "Ginger I'm so happy for you!" The farm girl exclaimed hugging her.

"Dear congratulations! It's splendid news!" Mrs. Howell chimed.

The Professor looked at the happy expression on the movie star's face. He never saw her look as happy before. Not since they ended up stranded had he never seen her look so joyous.  
It was something he enjoyed seeing. He liked seeing Ginger happy. This made her happy and he was more than willing to give her this. It most certainly would not be a terrible thing to marry Ginger. She was beautiful and she clearly loved him. He would be a fool to not marry her.

The truth be told he was getting sick of being alone on this island. Especially at night in his hut. Everyone else had a roommate. He didn't. Plus he did feel an attraction to Ginger. He found himself wishing to spend more and more time with her. Enlisting her help with his experiments above all the others.

And he was not too thrilled with the way he sometimes saw the Skipper look at the starlet.  
He always felt a twinge of jealousy as as far as he was concerned Ginger was meant for him. The actress had never given any indication she had interest in the Skipper outside of friendship and harmless flirtation. Even that harmless flirtation got to the scholar sometimes. He only wanted her to do that with him.  
Yes marrying Ginger was the right decision. No more could Ginger be used in an attempt to seduce someone to aid in getting them off this island. That was also something he was never happy with. It was like they thought of her as just some sexy object. He resented it always. The more he thought of it, the more he was liking the idea of Ginger being his wife.

Mrs. Howell and Mary Ann hurried to tell the others the news.  
Ginger smiled feeling on top of the world. "I promise I'll be a good wife." She stated.

"I know you would Ginger." He said kissing the top of her head. "You would make an excellent wife."

The movie star looked up at him. "Darling kiss me." She smiled.

His lips went to hers capturing them in a deep kiss. The actress' arms went around his neck, his went around her waist and up her back. The more he kissed her the more he knew that this woman was the only one he could ever see himself with.

**Later that night**

The men were still working on the hut in hopes that maybe the water would recede a bit so it wouldn't completely over take the island. They finally confessed to the women about the island and the water. Ginger was worried it would affect her wedding but the Professor assured her it would be fine.

The Skipper kept looking at the Professor shaking his head.  
"Is there a problem Skipper?" The science man asked.

"I can't believe you didn't tell Ginger."

The Professor sighed. "Skipper I told you to let it go. It makes Ginger happy."

"I know it makes her happy. She thinks that you actually want to marry her and are in love with her. You really think you can keep up that act?"

"Act?" Ginger said in shock.

The two men looked over seeing the movie star standing there. She had a tray of food in her hand that she had prepared for her fiancé.

Roy Hinkley glared at the sea captain. "It's not an act." He said firmly. "I would never pretend with Ginger."  
The Professor walked over Ginger. She had thrown the tray down and was looking at him with fury.

"Ginger." He started. "Ginger listen to me. I do want to marry you. I swear I do."

"Why did the Skipper say it was an act?" She demanded. "What would make him think that?"

"I'm sure I don't know." The Professor said giving the captain another look before turning his attention back to Ginger.  
"I swear to you that it's not an act. I want to marry you. I know how happy it would make you."

The redhead folded her arms. "So you are marrying me because it makes me happy? Not because you love me? Is that it?"

Before the Professor could respond, Ginger advanced towards Gilligan. "Why did you tell me the Professor loved me if he didn't?"

The academic walked to her and pulled her into this arms. "I do love you." He stated. "I want to marry you because I love you. Ginger, I've been in denial for too long. I never wanted to tell you my feelings because I never believed that I would be good enough for you. You want a Cary Grant and I'm not that. But when I heard you talking earlier with the other two women, I knew that…you loved me for what and who I am. I don't need to hide it anymore. I love you. And besides." He said pulling her closer. "You once said you would marry me in a minute."

Ginger's mind recalled that time on the beach when the Professor promised her he would be there for her and how she did say that she would marry him. "You remember that?"

"Yes I do. Ginger I want you to be my wife." The Professor insisted. "Only you...I'm in love you."

The actress lifted her eyes to his. "You mean it?"

"Yes I do. Ginger it's always been you. Just you."

The starlet smiled. "It's always been me?"

"I never loved anyone like I love you." The Professor replied. "I could not possibly feel for anyone what I feel for you."

"Oh Professor!" Ginger said threw her arms around him. "I love you!"

"You still want to marry me?" He asked.

"Yes." Ginger nodded. "I do."

It was discovered not too long after that the island was not in fact sinking.  
Gilligan had been using the Professor's measuring stick for his lobster traps. He apologized for his goof and swore he would ask next time if he sees a stick in the water like that. Someone could possibly be using it for something. Or he could just find his own stick and maybe let others know about how he was checking the deeper water for the lobster as he was not the only one who checked the traps. And perhaps be more aware of the markings the Professor drew on the stick to mark where the water level was.

The others had been miffed but quickly accepted the sailor's apology and life continued on the island as usual.  
Everyone make mistakes and they did not hold a grudge against the sailor for very long. It lasted for maybe a day if that. It was hard to stay mad at Gilligan for a long period of time. They all loved him regardless of whatever goofs he made. Besides, Ginger had reasoned, if he hadn't, she wouldn't be with the Professor right now. His mistake was actually a blessing in disguise.

The wedding had taken place and it was quite an affair  
The island had been transformed with beautiful flowers and ribbons. Wreaths of flowers were sewn together. The raft had been built and the ceremony commenced.

Ginger had smiled at Gilligan briefly and he returned her smile. She had thanked him for helping bring the Professor to her. Without him, the Professor may never have confessed his feelings for her. He would have hid them forever. Him telling her the Professor loved her set it all in motion and she was forever thankful for the sailor's actions.  
The Professor had also expressed his gratitude towards the first mate. He told him how glad he was that he never did tell Ginger about the sinking island instead telling her that he the Professor loved her. It was the best thing that he ever did as far as the academic was concerned.

Mary Ann watched the two newlyweds feeling so happy. They were a perfect match. Ginger was so glamorous and beautiful. The Professor was handsome and smart. They complimented each other perfectly.

The Skipper had been relieved that the Professor did love the movie star. He would have hated to see Ginger crushed. He thought she was a sweet girl. Just like he thought Mary Ann was. He was fond of them both and became very protective of the two.

The sea captain had expressed his regret for saying initially that it was an act the Professor was putting on. He should have known otherwise. The Professor would never do that to Ginger. It was just that he was protective of all the castaways. He was the Skipper therefore he was in charge. These people were his family now and he was going to make sure they all stuck together. The Professor stated he understood and told him to forget it. It worked out in the end.

After the ceremony and the reception in which Ginger insisted on dancing with her new husband twice to the song The Way You Look Tonight (she stated it was her day and she would dance as many times as she wanted with her husband), the newlyweds retired to their newly constructed hut. It was built a little further than the others as they wanted some more privacy.

The Professor carried her across the threshold stating it was tradition. Ginger giggled at this saying he was quite the romantic. He had set her down on their bed and whispered she was yet to see just how romantic he could be.

It was not long before she found out just how. It was quite a passionate experience.  
After, she laid happily in his arms basking in the glow. He gently caressed her arm as he too was enjoying it all. "You know my love." He said to her.

"What?" She asked in a dreamy voice.

"I do not care if we ever get rescued. I have you. That's all I need."

Ginger smiled pulling herself up and kissing his lips. "You are all I need too."

The End.


End file.
